Namibia is a country with open spaces and endless skies. Sand dunes turn into granite hills and rocky outcrops with ancient paintings give way to vast plains where the big 5 roam. Travelling from behind the handlebar is one of the best ways of experiencing the varied landscape of this desert nation. Discover the country’s highlights on two wheels and go on Safari in Etosha National Park. Combining the sense of freedom of a bike with an overland truck to cover large distances, this trip mixes Namibia’s breathtaking scenery with its fantastic game viewing opportunities.

Leaving Windhoek behind we start with a short transfer towards the Khomas Hochland and the top of the Kupferberg Pass. Getting on our bikes we get our first taste of cycling through Namibia's amazing landscape as we descend along winding roads past private farm and local wildlife. Transferring up Gemsberg Pass and past the 3rd highest mountain in Namibia, from where we have views stretching 100kms, we get back on the bikes. As we cycle down we cross dry river beds and should, hopefully see troops of baboons as well as, hopefully, Hartman's Mountain zebras. Our ride ends at our camp at the Rooisand Oasis where we can enjoy a refreshing dip.

Leaving the camp on our bikes we continue along gravel roads up and down rolling hills. We will cycle all the way to the Guab Pass before transferring the rest of the way to Solitaire. We aim to get to Solitaire for lunch and will, hopefully, have the opportunity to try the local apple crumble which has been called the best in the whole southern hemisphere. After lunch we transfer to Sesriem. See more images and videos

4Day 4Climb Dune 45 and cycle back to Sesriem past giant sand dunes.

Getting up early we drive 45kms into the heart of the highest sand dunes in the world before climbing Dune 45 as the sun rays peak over the horizon and hit the red-ochre sand. After descending we have breakfast with a view before taking to our bikes for a ride back to Sesriem. The ride is along a tarmac road which cuts through the towering dunes, a more spectacular and enjoyable ride is hard to imagine.
After lunch at camp we transfer to Solitaire, arriving in time for a stroll or gentle ride before sunset. See more images and videos

Cycling straight from camp we continue on our journey north heading towards the Tropic of Capricorn. With luck we should see ostrich, springbok, gemsbok and Mountain zebras on the side of the road. Once again we end our ride in the shadow of Guab Pass before transferring to Walvis Bay known for its flamingos. From here we continue to Swakopmund driving along the ocean on the right and the sand dunes on the left.

6Day 6Free day to enjoy optional activities such as quad-biking, sandboarding and dolphin-watching

Today is a free day to enjoy the many activities available in Swakopmund. These include sandboarding, quadbiking, dolphin watching or taking a panoramic flight over the Namib Naukluft. For those feeling like relaxing a little, the Germanic town is famous for its cake and coffee shops.See more images and videos

7Day 7Skeleton Coast and Brandberg

We leave Swakopmund and head up along the coast on the relatively smooth salt-road heading towards Henties. This 70km cycle will take us along part of the skeleton coast, so called because of the number fo shipwrecks strewn along the shore all the way up to Angola. We get to see one of these shipwrecks as we make our way north.
After lunch at Henties we transfer to the Brandberg region, home to Desert elephants and meerkats before, finally, spending the night at our camp by the Ugab River. See more images and videos

8Day 8Cycle past Herrero and Himba villages.

This morning we cycle past Himba and Herrero villages and will have the opportunity to stop and buy locally made souvenirs. We will then transfer for about 1hr before riding a further 20kms to our lodge in the Khorixas/Outjo area. See more images and videos

9Day 9Etosha N. P.

We get back behind the handle-bars early and cycle from our lodge along sealed roads towards Outjo. After lunch we transfer to Etosha NP, one of Southern Africa's best game-viewing parks.
We will go on a late afternoon game drive in search of the various wildlife in the park which includes Africa's big 5. When in camp we have the opportunity to sit by the watering hole which is flood-lit at night and enjoy the living theatre which unfolds as animals come down to the water to drink.

Today is dedicated to going on safari. We will go on a morning and afternoon game drive and will have the opportunity to relax back in camp during the heat of the day when the wildlife shys from the hot Namibian sun.See more images and videos

11Day 11Visit Cheetah Conservation Foundation followed by a short cycle along gravel roads and past farm steads.

Heading out of the park we saddle up at the gate and head southwards on a good sealed road towards Outjo. After about 65-75 Kms we transfer to Otjiwarongwe and the Cheetah Conservation Fund's centre where we learn about cheetah biology and ecology and the many threats faced by the fastest land animal in the world. See more images and videos

After a short transfer we ride 30kms along sealed roads before continuing along 20kms of dirt roads to the Waterberg National Park with its red sandstone table mountain.We end our spectacular ride up at the swimming pool area with a great view of Waterberg This afternoon we have the opportunity to go for a walk on the Waterberg Plateau in search of the local wildlife. See more images and videos

Your images

Guided Group

This is a small group guided holiday. The group is usually between 4 and 16 in size, with an average of 12 like-minded clients booking individually, in a couple or as friends together.

Activity level

You are moderately fit and possess a spirit of adventure. Some previous experience is required for most activity based trips.

What's included

What's included

All breakfasts, 4 lunches, 5 dinners

All accommodation (see below)

All transport and listed activities

Tour leader throughout

Flights from London (if booking incl. flights)

Arrival & departure transfers

What's not included

Travel insurance

Bike hire (available locally from GBP140)

Single accommodation (available on request from GBP200)

Visas or vaccinations

Accommodation details

Camps, Hotels & Lodges

We use a mixture of camping, lodges and hotels on this trip; by staying in tents for 8 nights we can sleep in stunning remote locations away from the crowds and busy tourist areas. Most of the places we stay have swimming pools available and all of the hotels and loges have en suite facilities.

Essential info

Vaccinations and Visa
Visas for Namibia are not required for UK or Commonwealth passport holders. Other nationalities should check before travelling.
Please ensure you have a one full blank page in your passport.
If you are transiting through South Africa and are a non UK passport holder you may require a transit visa. Please check before travelling.
Please note that if flying via South Africa you will probably have to pass immigration there. New regulations, as of the 1 Oct 2014, mean that children under 18 will have to have an unabridged birth ciritificate showing the names of both parents. If the child is travelling with only one parent they will need to have an affidavit from the other parent, of no more then 3 months, confirming the child can travel with the other parent; a court order granting full legal guardianship of the child; or a death cirtificate of the deceased parent.
There are no mandatory vaccination requirements. Recommended vaccinations are: Polio, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Typhoid, Hepatitis A. Malaria prophylaxis is essential and we suggest that you seek advice from your GP or travel health clinic about which malaria tablets to take. Holiday style

This cycling trip is classified off-road and graded B. Please see the introductory pages of the cycling brochure for more important information on classification and grading.
The trip has 7 or 8 days cycling (one day optional cycling), averaging 60km/day, and 100% vehicle support.
The cycling is is about 65% off road on a mix of gravel and tarmac. There is a mix of terrains including some undulating rides, flat, downhill and uphill sections. Please note that some of the off-road sections can be quite bumpy and sandy. The support vehicle will be at hand, especially for the hard uphill sections. Most of the rides will be on roads with little traffic though there may be sections with some traffic. It can get hot in Namibia and shade is not common on most of the rides.

Cycle Safety
You should be aware that cycling of all kinds has its dangers and that accidents can happen from time to time. Please ensure that you are properly prepared for the riding you are going to undertake. Helmets must be worn by all cyclists in Namibia.

Eating & drinking

All breakfasts, 4 lunches, 5 dinners included.
Please allow approx. GBP10/USD15 per meal pp for meals not included.
Some meals are in restaurants whilst others will be prepared by the tour leader and assistants.
Camp meals are freshly cooked over the camp fire. They are wholesome and plentiful, but do not expect cordon bleu cuisine and please note it is not always easy to get fresh meat. However, the standard of food is generally good.
Breakfast - cereals, coffee, yoghurt, muesli, fresh fruit or the occasional fried breakfast.
Lunch - cheese, cold meats, pasta, salads, bread or rolls.
Dinner - Potjie (Stew), Braai (BBQ) or Stir fries.

It will be possible to purchase snacks in various places throughout the trip but you may want to also bring your favourite cycling snacks with you from home. We recommend about GBP3/USD5 a day for snacks.

Trip notes

Download the detailed trip notes for everything you could possibly want
to know about this trip, including detailed itinerary and full kit list.

Weather & seasonality

Namibia is in the Southern Hemisphere, therefore essentially has the opposite seasonality to the UK. The months of June, July and August, whilst clear and warm during the day, can drop down to single figures and even freezing at night. Between September and May it is considerably warmer with the time between October and March being the hottest, getting up to the high 30s (degC). However it is always a dry heat and the temperature does drop at night. The wet season is between November and February, but this is not a bad time to go as the desert blooms after rainfall, there is plenty of birdlife to see and, it never rains for very long.

Gallery

Reviews & community

The landscapes were fantastic. Real variety of scenery from rolling hills, to endless gravel sections, lots of gorgeous sand and small towns. Namibia has some fabulous food, extremely affordable. The bikes we hired were of fantastic quality too.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

Sunrise on the Sand Dunes. Incredible.

What did you think of your group leader?

He was okay. Very organised, very safety and environmental conscious.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

Pack a pillow! The accommodation is very budget. Even the last night in the Superior Hotel was not Superior. They were basic 2 star hotels. The camping equipment was great. Tents were spacious and put up and down for us - easy camping in my book! We were there in March and didn't really need a sleeping bag or any wet weather gear.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

If you want a cycle trip that has lots of villages and locals enroute - don't cycle in Namibia! We didn't come across many children or people on the cycle days. It was not at all like cycling the Cape Town Garden Route or Vietnam/Croatia that I have done with Exodus. We didn't really have much interaction with locals. Also all the accommodation used is Government funded which personally didn't have much character! I am glad I did it and the scenery was spectacular and much nicer to see Namibia on a bike than stuck in a vehicle. Also the kilometres on the itinerary were not what we rode. We rode much less which was disappointing. The cycling is definitely not challenging ie hills, but the gravel can take a bit of getting used too and the heat of course.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

Too many, I cannot decide between sossousvlei sand dunes, sipping wine at the watering hole watching lions, cycling through the moon landscape, or watching dolphins and seals in a boat trip. Then their were the many beautiful sunsets.

What did you think of your group leader?

Great leader, flexed the trip to fit around the weather (scorching sunshine). They worked all hours to fix the bikes as they get a battering and cook us delicious meals.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

Be prepared there may be some flex on the trip notes to account for the weather and also some early starts. Be prepared for some long transfers, although the early starts meant we slept through some of them. Take in the scenery, racing through it you will miss so much.

So much about Namibia impressed me: the varied landscapes, the friendliness of the people, the great food, the miles and miles of desert, the cleanliness, and of course the big game. The trip is not difficult cycling and is very easy going, which means you have plenty of time to admire the scenery.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

So many moments I couldn't name a single one, but watching the sunrise from the top of Dune 45, many sunsets enjoying drinks and views, and so many breathtaking views.

What did you think of your group leader?

I simply can't praise Roger enough - he was incredibly enthusiastic, bursting with energy and information, sociable, and attentive to our needs and problems. Nothing was too much trouble for him, and he was always on hand to fix bikes, answer questions and crack jokes. He dealt with any situations calmly and effectively. His support team of Ronney and Freddey were excellent and always on hand to help, cooking up fantastic food, assisting with the bikes and camp duties.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

In winter the sun is very strong - most of us got burnt at some point through inattention to detail with the sunblock. You also really don't need to pack much on this trip - you stop at plenty of supermarkets to top up with snacks, wine and anything else. A washing line is handy for drying stuff around the tents. Bring plenty of reading material/music to entertain you during the long hours in the bus and evenings. Binoculars for spotting game are really worthwhile. And do take the time to learn a little bit about the animals and country before you go. While you don't have to do anything around the camp if you don't want to, the support team will always appreciate a little bit of help with packing up tents, washing up and so on. And finally, do listen to the guides - they really do know what they're talking about even if you think you know better.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I didn't know much about Namibia before I went, but I completely fell in love with it. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

Questions about your trip

Pick your question

Do I need a visa for Namibia?

If you hold a UK passport, you don't need a visa for Namibia. The same applies to other Commonwealth passport holders and quite a few European countries. If you are unsure, please check with the nearest embassy or contact Exodus.

Brendan Phelan - Customer Operations

What vaccinations do I need?

Unfortunately we are not qualified to answer all your questions in regards to travel health, so we strongly recommend you contact your GP or a Travel Health Clinic at least 8 weeks prior to departure for up-to-date information. There will be limited information in the trip notes but you should always seek further qualified medical advice.

Nomad Travel Clinics are experts in preparing people for travel, providing advice on vaccinations, anti-malarial and staying healthy whilst overseas. We have arranged a special 10% discount for Exodus passengers on any vaccinations that you may require! Take along your Nomad discount card, sent with your confirmation pack, or call Exodus for your special discount code.Visit www.nomadtravel.co.uk/exodus for further information.

Exodus staff - expertise on hand to help

All the staff at Exodus share a passion for adventure travel, and are always happy to answer any questions you may have. You can find an expert for the area you are interested in here and can contact them to get further information. If you don't see your specific country listed, please email customerops@exodus.co.uk and they will get the answers you need!

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